Welcome to Throwback Thursday. Take a ride back in time with ya boy 12kyle as we travel to the good ole days
Year : 1996
Place : South Carolina State University
Time : Senior year
I'm a jokester. I like to play pranks on my friends. I've always been like that. I dunno why but I get a good laugh out of it. Anyway, the victim this time would be one of my best friends and teammates at school...my boy Moe. Me and Moe are tight. We've been hangin' since our freshman year. We have a lot in common. We both played on the football team (both of us were wide receivers), liked the same kinda women, liked the same kinda music, and we were usually hangin together at all times. We're still close to this day. Moe is the godfather to my oldest son. We talk every day. When we were in school, our wives (girlfriends at the time) would joke about how we were like twins.
Moe was a marketing major like me. We had took almost all of our classes together. And we needed to b/c we needed to push each other in the classroom like we did on the football field. One day, we were assigned to do a group project for our international marketing class. Our group consisted of me, Moe, and Marcel. As usual, we waited until the last minute to complete the project. We had a week to get it done but we didn't get started until the night before the project was due. I spoke to Moe earlier in the day and reminded him that we were meeting to do the project that night. Each of us had to do their 1/3 of the work and bring it to the meeting at the library. Well, Moe decides that he wants to go to the Pit (hangout spot just like on A Different World). Moe never shows up. I'm furious! In the back of my mind, I knew that he'd pull some kinda stunt so I was already prepared to cover him.
I advised Marcel that we should get him back. I told him "when Moe calls us on the phone...don't answer. If he asks about the project, tell him that we didn't do it and we're gonna get a F." Well, Moe calls me at 6am. I didn't answer b/c I knew it was him. He called Marcel...no answer. Our class didn't start until 4pm. He wasn't able to get in touch with anybody so he knew what he had to do...he had to do the project by himself. He didn't want to do it but he had no choice. He finally finds me around noon and I told him that we hadn't done anything. I also informed him that the "F" really wasn't gonna hurt the "A" that i had in the class. But he knew that an "F" would hurt his "C" average. LOL.
When we arrive in class at 4, Moe is clearly disgusted with me and Marcel. But he did the whole project. Much to our surprise!!! We told him that we finished it the previous night!!!! If you would've seen the look on his face...priceless. He wanted to kill me. I was on the floor ROLLIN'. "Haaaaaa!!!! I got you! I got you!!" He was clearly pissed but what could he do? We put some of his info with what we had and we got an "A" on the project. I got him good!
My joy was short lived. The next semester (our last) he got me back. We both needed to pass financial management to graduate. I hated the class but I had mad respect for our professor, Dr. Cole. Going into our finals, we both had "C"s and we needed to pass the final exam to graduate. The mere thought of financial management terrified me. This class was the sole reason why i didn't send out any graduation invitations to my relatives b/c I wasn't sure if I was gonna pass the class. And Dr. Cole was one of the toughest professors in the School of Business. Anyway...we took the final exam. I thought that I did well on it. Dr. Cole had advised us that he would post the grades in 2 days. I knew if I didn't pass it, I'd have to come back to school for another semester. I couldn't do that.
I sent Moe to Dr.Cole's office to get the results. I shouldn't have done that. He called me later that day. He told me that I didn't pass the final but he did. I was speechless. I kept thinking..."how am I gonna explain this to my momma?" I was pissed off so I told Moe that I'd call him back. I got off the phone and I told my girl (mrs12) that I had failed. I was crushed. Then...about 5 mins later...the phone rings. It's Moe. I didn't wanna talk to him or anybody else. He says..."tell Kyle that I was just joking...he passed. He's gonna graduate." She told me and I was livid!! Arrrrrrgh! How could you play with my emotions like that?
He got me! I can't front. We still laugh about it to this day.
WELCOME TO THE 12TH PLANET. This blog was created as a forum for you to discuss personal and worldly issues. It serves as a vehicle for you to express oneself.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
off tha dome
random thoughts...
gas was $4.11 just 2 weeks ago. now, it's $3.85. i feel like somebody is playin' with my emotions b/c i feel like I got a "deal." $3.85 ain't no deal!!!
i don't care what black church that you go to...there will be some lady in the crowd playin the tambourine
wonder if she gets paid for that? maybe i should bring a saxophone next sunday.
prior to this year...i had only eaten 5 big mac's in my lifetime. now, i get em every time that i go to mcdonald's
i knew a dude who smoked weed but didn't eat pork b/c he said that it was "bad for his health." helloooooo
ain't it funny how hip hop is often criticized for everything under the sun but is used to sell damn near everything.
i spend more time bloggin' than i do on espn dot com...scary thought
meagan goode...megan goode...meagan goode
every white person that i know is nosey
tyler perry aint funny to me. i'm sorry, y'all. i don't like his show and i don't like madea.
john mcshame was hatin on obama for goin' to iraq. how can you hate on a man that speak to sellout crowds? face it...obama is a rock star and you ain't. period.
i need to read more books
i love run's house
who cares about the dark knight movie? can we get the wire on the big screen?
kobe bryant plays for team usa...now i can root for him.
did he ever tell us how shaq's ass tasted? lmao
can we get amy winehouse and dmx to do a duet?
i saw a dude sit down at the bar, throw his bmw keys down, then listen to him spend 20 mins talking about how much money he makes. he ended the night by talking about how many "gold diggers" were in the bar. sounds like he was a prime target. lmao
if a woman is rollin with her girlfriend who is a "freak" but she's not...she'll be a freak in a man's eyes. she's guilty by association. it's not fair but it is what it is
tocarra...tocarra...tocarra
that damn lil gray hair is back in my mustache!!! i thought it was the light but i was wrong. damn!
come back -1-
....miss you lil sis
gas was $4.11 just 2 weeks ago. now, it's $3.85. i feel like somebody is playin' with my emotions b/c i feel like I got a "deal." $3.85 ain't no deal!!!
i don't care what black church that you go to...there will be some lady in the crowd playin the tambourine
wonder if she gets paid for that? maybe i should bring a saxophone next sunday.
prior to this year...i had only eaten 5 big mac's in my lifetime. now, i get em every time that i go to mcdonald's
i knew a dude who smoked weed but didn't eat pork b/c he said that it was "bad for his health." helloooooo
ain't it funny how hip hop is often criticized for everything under the sun but is used to sell damn near everything.
i spend more time bloggin' than i do on espn dot com...scary thought
meagan goode...megan goode...meagan goode
every white person that i know is nosey
tyler perry aint funny to me. i'm sorry, y'all. i don't like his show and i don't like madea.
john mcshame was hatin on obama for goin' to iraq. how can you hate on a man that speak to sellout crowds? face it...obama is a rock star and you ain't. period.
i need to read more books
i love run's house
who cares about the dark knight movie? can we get the wire on the big screen?
kobe bryant plays for team usa...now i can root for him.
did he ever tell us how shaq's ass tasted? lmao
can we get amy winehouse and dmx to do a duet?
i saw a dude sit down at the bar, throw his bmw keys down, then listen to him spend 20 mins talking about how much money he makes. he ended the night by talking about how many "gold diggers" were in the bar. sounds like he was a prime target. lmao
if a woman is rollin with her girlfriend who is a "freak" but she's not...she'll be a freak in a man's eyes. she's guilty by association. it's not fair but it is what it is
tocarra...tocarra...tocarra
that damn lil gray hair is back in my mustache!!! i thought it was the light but i was wrong. damn!
come back -1-
....miss you lil sis
Monday, July 28, 2008
gimme somebody who iz crazy!!!
Sometimes you gotta dig deep, when problems come near
Don't fear things get severe for everybody everywhere
Why do bad things happen, to good people?
Seems that life is just a constant war between good and evil
The situation that I'm facin, is mad amazin
to think such problems can arise from minor confrontations
Now I'm contemplatin in my bedroom pacin
Dark clouds over my head, my heart's racin
Suicide? Nah, I'm not a foolish guy
Don't even feel like drinking, or even gettin high
Cause all that's gonna do really, is accelerate
the anxieties that I wish I could alleviate
But wait, I've been through a whole lot of other shit, before
So I oughta be able, to withstand some more
But I'm sweatin though, my eyes are turnin red and yo
I'm ready to lose my mind but instead I use my mind
I put down the knife, and take the bullets out my nine
My only crime, was that I'm too damn kind
And now some skanless motherfuckers wanna take what's mine
But they can't take the respect, that I've earned in my lifetime
And you know they'll never stop the furious force of my rhymes
So like they say, every dog has it's day
And like they say, God works in a mysterious way
So I pray, remembering the days of my youth
As I prepare to meet my moment of truth
Guru from GangStarr (Moment of Truth)
I found this article online the other day. I found it amusing. It made me wonder...do we really like the crazy women/men more than we do the ones that have a good head on their shoulders. I dunno. I really think that most of us want someone who is "drama free". But this article did make me think...and laugh. It was written by a woman about a man but you can flip the script and view it through the eyes of a man. You be the judge. Hollatchaboi!!!
Men Really do Love Mad Women
by Dervedia Thomas
First, let me clarify what I mean by mad.
I'm talking about all those complicated women like extreme neat freaks, germa-phobes, weight-obsessed; just women with weird hang ups. Let's not leave out the high maintenance women in this definition either.
You all know these women and you know they're not single.
I've been developing this theory in my head for some time but always rejected the notion that women have to play games like Vivica Fox in the movie "Two Can Play at That Game" until I read the book by widely featured author Sherry Argov called, "Why Men Love Bitches."
Argov explains that it's not really about looks or intelligence as we women have been conditioned to believe, it's the ability to create intrigue that attracts the opposite sex.
It is the mental challenge that these women are able to create by simply not giving a damn.
According to Argov, nice girls cook dinner for their man early in the relationship while the girl they decide to stay with makes them microwave popcorn snack and they have to work their way up to a TV dinner. Nice girls get ready early for a date while the "dream girls," as she calls them, make men wait 15 to 20 minutes.
Argov might be on to something. Ask any man if he hates it when his girl talks or whines about being bored during the game and they'll be like, "Yeah dawg." None of them would say, "Well, my girlfriend doesn't do that"
Why?
Because those girls are single! Men like Mad Women! Deal with it!
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Quote of the Week
"If you argue with a fool you must argue like a fool or he will think
himself wise. If you argue like a fool you become a fool and the fool
becomes wiser then you. So never argue with a fool." -Anonymous
himself wise. If you argue like a fool you become a fool and the fool
becomes wiser then you. So never argue with a fool." -Anonymous
disaster at lunch...dolce pt 2
Two weeks ago, my boy Rezidl was in town. We went out to dinner at this restaurant called Dolce. The food was great but the service was HORRIBLE!! Our waiter must have been some type of magician b/c the dude kept disappearing. He'd take our orders and then leave and wouldn't come back to even check on us. Very crappy service.
So, I thought that I had reached my "bad restaurant service quota" for the month. That was until I had lunch today. Here is a copy of the email that I sent to Rezidl while i was on my lunch break.
Check this out...
I'm in the city so I decide to get some lunch at Fatburger. I've been here plenty of times. The food is good and I like their turkey burger. Anyway, I should've known that I was in trouble when the chick who took my order had to keep asking the manager how to place the order (warning sign #1). I ordered a turkey burger with lettuce, no tomato, no onion, with cheese and bacon, a drink, and skinny fries. I sit down and wait for them to bring my food.
I made my drink and sat down. A few mins later, a chick comes over with my food but the fries are wrong. I told her that I ordered the skinny fries. She takes em back. A different chick comes back with a new order...turkey burger and skinny fries. Before she can put my food down...she knocks over my drink (Hi-C Orange) and it spills all over my damn pants and tie!!!! I look like I just pissed all over myself. She's embarrassed and apologetic. It's her 1st day on the job and it shows.
I tried to get the stuff off me. She gets me a new drink. After 5 mins of cleaning up and apologizing, I sat down to eat. I'm pissed off...and wet...might as well eat, right? I look at my turkey burger...it has tomatoes and onions!!! WTF! I tell them and they bring back a new burger. The new burger is missing the bacon and cheese!!! Arrrrrrrrgh! I'm really pissed now. I tell em and they FINALLY get it right. After all that, you'd think I'd get a free meal or something, right? Damn!
So, I thought that I had reached my "bad restaurant service quota" for the month. That was until I had lunch today. Here is a copy of the email that I sent to Rezidl while i was on my lunch break.
Check this out...
I'm in the city so I decide to get some lunch at Fatburger. I've been here plenty of times. The food is good and I like their turkey burger. Anyway, I should've known that I was in trouble when the chick who took my order had to keep asking the manager how to place the order (warning sign #1). I ordered a turkey burger with lettuce, no tomato, no onion, with cheese and bacon, a drink, and skinny fries. I sit down and wait for them to bring my food.
I made my drink and sat down. A few mins later, a chick comes over with my food but the fries are wrong. I told her that I ordered the skinny fries. She takes em back. A different chick comes back with a new order...turkey burger and skinny fries. Before she can put my food down...she knocks over my drink (Hi-C Orange) and it spills all over my damn pants and tie!!!! I look like I just pissed all over myself. She's embarrassed and apologetic. It's her 1st day on the job and it shows.
I tried to get the stuff off me. She gets me a new drink. After 5 mins of cleaning up and apologizing, I sat down to eat. I'm pissed off...and wet...might as well eat, right? I look at my turkey burger...it has tomatoes and onions!!! WTF! I tell them and they bring back a new burger. The new burger is missing the bacon and cheese!!! Arrrrrrrrgh! I'm really pissed now. I tell em and they FINALLY get it right. After all that, you'd think I'd get a free meal or something, right? Damn!
Friday, July 25, 2008
kick it off
I'm the P, double-E, M-D-E-EParrish Smith of EPMD (You Gots Ta Chill)
And one thing I hate, is a bitin MC
When I enter the party suckers always form a line
then they ease their way up, and try to bite my lines
I did thousands of shows, dissed many faces
and deal with new jacks, on a one-to-one basis
But every now and then a sucker MC gets courageous
and like an epidemic it becomes contagious
But never the least they all R.I.P
for all those unaware it means Rest In Peace
Cause M.D. -- stands for Microphone Doctor
And the capital P (capital P) capital M (capital M)
capital D-E-E's no doubt the chief rocker
Don't like to get ill, but if I have to I kill
So believe me boy, you gots to chill.. *echoes*
I'm reminiscing right now. Like Pete Rock and CL Smooth. Reminiscing like Mary J on What's the 411. I miss it. Damn. I miss it. The smell of freshly cut grass. The summer heat. Kicking it with the dudes who you battle with. The roar of the crowd. I miss all of that. This is the time of the year that my body feels like it should be pushed more than I'm willing to push it. Even when I work out now...my body reminds me that this is the time of the year when I must be at my best. I haven't put on pads in 13 years...but I miss football. It was my first love. I still love her. I miss it.
Since it's that time of year, we gotta talk about it. The college football season is almost underway. The NFL training camps are beginning to open. It's almost time to kickoff the season. Let's break it down like this...good, bad, and ugly for your team(s)...college and or pro.
NFL
Atlanta Falcons
Good - ticket prices went down
Bad - Mike Vick is still in jail for fighting Sparky. We lost our starting tight end, running back, and cornerback. We just gave our #1 pick, Matt Ryan, a contract of 30 million and our offensive line sucks.
Ugly - We won 4 games last year...we won't win but 2 this year. There'll be more people in the parking lots than in the stands watching the game.
NCAA
South Carolina State University
Good - we're predicted to win our conference...again
Bad - We have to travel to Death Valley to play Clemson
Ugly - Our coach sucks. I don't think he's that good.
NCAA
Florida State
Good - the ACC ain't what it used to be
Bad - We still don't have a QB
Ugly - When is Bobby Bowden gonna sit his ass down???
What about your teams??? Hollatchaboi!
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Ms Media
Sometimes we get too preoccupied by the images that we see on BET. Don't get me wrong...Black Exploitation Television is the worst! But the media controls sooooo much more of what we see. It can negatively change our opinions at the drop of a dime. Be leery of that.
Fox News has been under scrutiny b/c of it's constant attacks on blacks and more recently Michelle and Barack Obama.
My boy Nas has launched a lyrical assassination of the Fox News Network in a song on his latest cd. The song is called Sly Fox.
Hollatchaboi!!!
Fox News has been under scrutiny b/c of it's constant attacks on blacks and more recently Michelle and Barack Obama.
My boy Nas has launched a lyrical assassination of the Fox News Network in a song on his latest cd. The song is called Sly Fox.
[Nas]Your thoughts on the media and the images that we see on a daily basis.
It's sly Fox, cyclops
We locked in an idiot box
The video slots broadcasting Waco Dividian plots
They own YouTube, MySpace
When this ignorant shit going to stop?
They monopolize and lose your views
And the channel you choose
Propaganda, visual cancer
The eye in the sky, number 5 on the down
Secret agenda, frequency antenna
Dr. Mindbender
Remote control so controlling your brain holder
Slave culture, game's over
What's a fox characteristic?
Slick shit, sins in, misinformation
Pimp the station, over-stimulation
Reception, deception
Comcast digital Satan
The Fox has a bushy tale
And Bush tells lies and foxtrots
So, I don't know what's real (what's real)
[Chorus]
Watch what you're watching
Fox keeps feeding us toxins
Stop sleeping
Start thinking outside of the box
And unplugged from the Matrix stopped you
But watch what you say, Big Brother is watching
Watch what you're watching
Fox keeps feeding us toxins
Stop sleeping
Start thinking outside of the box
And unplugged from the Matrix stopped you
But watch what you say, Fox Fire is watching
[Nas]
The Fifth Act that got you all riled up
O'Reilly? Oh really? No rally needed, I'll tie you up
Network for child predators, setting them up
MySpace, pimps, hoes and sluts
Y'all exploit rap culture, then y'all flip on us
And you own the Post, and y'all shit on us
What is their net worth?
They're going to try to censor my next verse
Throw them off the roof neck first
While I'm clicking my cursor
Reading blogs about pressure they put on Universal
It gets worse
While I'm clicking my mouse
While they kick in my house
They figured us out
Why a nigger go south?
It's either he caught a body
Don't sleep, they're watching
I watch CBS, and I see BS
Trying to track us down with GPS
Make a nigger want to invest in PBS (see BS)
[Chorus]
[Nas]
They say I'm all about murder murder and kill kill
But what about Grindhouse and Kill Bill?
What about Cheney and Halliburton?
The back door deals on oil fields?
How is Nas the most violent person?
Y'all wouldn't know talent if it hit you
Bringing up my criminal possession charges with a pistol
I use Viacom as my firearm
Then let the living split you, who do you rely upon?
Then shoot shells at Leviath-o-n
I'm dealing with the higher form
Fuck if you care of how I write a poem
Only fox that I loved was the red one
Only black man that Fox love is in jail or a dead one
Red rum, political bedlam
Don't let the hype into your eyes and ear drum
Murder our own fox
Not A-Team with Baracus
And he hates Barack because he march with the marches
[Deep voice outro]
I pledge allegiance to the fair and balanced truth
Not the biased truth
Not the liest truth
But the highest truth
I will not be deceived
Nor will I believe in the propaganda
I will not fall for the oke-doke
I am tuned in...
[Nas]
Watch because they're watching
Watch what you're watching
Better watch because they're watching
Watch what you're watching
M-m-media, misleading you
Watch what you're watching
Hollatchaboi!!!
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
off tha dome
random thoughts...
I've come to the conclusion that in a house with 4 males and one female...my wife is gonna have to get used to the "toilet seat being left up". And there's no need to ask me if I left the toilet seat up b/c I'm just gonna blame it on one of the boys. haaaa
Blog for you. Nobody else. Be glad that there are other bloggers who read and comment. Be glad that you have lurkers.
They say that rapper Rick Ross has been "discovered" to have previously been employed as a correctional officer and now people are questioning his "street cred". Huh? You mean people actually believed his tales as a "drug lord" LOL. C'mon folks
Rappers are about as real as wrestlers. Don't believe the hype.
Speaking of wrestlers...anybody remember Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka?
Forgive me...but I don't know who the hell Jennifer Aniston is. Is she somebody important?
Has anybody noticed how short John McCain's arms are??? Man! He's got arms the length of a 5 year olds arm. Not a good look for a 60 year old man
RIP Sophia from the Golden Girls.
I wanna learn how to play the drums
Last night, there was a fight in a WNBA game!! Wow! The ratings will probably now go from 50 people watching to 57 people
Speaking of fighting, when I was in middle school I always made sure that i had a front row seat when girls fought each other. I wanted to see a breast pop out!!! And it usually did! Haaaa
Candice Parker...Candice Parker...Candice Parker
Speaking of Candice Parker, how did she end up with Shelden Williams?? They are engaged. Ugh! She is a premier star in the WNBA and he plays in the NBA. He sucks. If it sounds like I'm hatin'...I am. She should be with me if i wasn't married. We might look a little strange in public b/c she's 6-5 and I'm 5-7...but we'd have some beautiful athletic kids.
Do dogs really hate cats?
I love 15-30 minute power naps
Do you ever sit at work and send resumes on company time?
I went to get the oil changed for my car as well as brakes. The auto dude found 10 other things that was wrong with the car! That's a hustle. It's almost like going to the doctors office for a checkup. The doctor is looking to see if you have an inner ear infection...and the next thing you know...you've been diagnosed with high blood pressure, asthma, and ADD
Dad said that I was a better baseball player than I was a football player. That's scary b/c I was a damn good football player.
Women just wanna be understood
Men just wanna be heard...but you gotta listen, too. Don't just hear us...listen to us, too
The post the other day about duos really showed me how hungry some of you were. LOL
For some people, at the age of 25 sex is more important than the conversations that they have with their mates. At the age of 55, the conversation is more important than the sex.
Sage Steele...Sage Steele...Sage Steele
If I hit this lottery...I'ma fly all of y'all to Atlanta for a blogger's party.
No, you can't stay at my house...so don't ask. lmao!!!
Luther Vandross could sing his face off!!!
I need to work on my golf game! Anybody else plays golf????? Lemme know.
Enjoy the journey to trying to find love.
Football is round tha corner!!! Are you ready?
Maybe I was the only person who didn't see Batman last weekend? Then again...I haven't seen Iron Man, Hulk, or Hancock
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
black
We're gonna tell ya somethin put your mind in a swirl
God bless the next baby that comes in this world
The world's full of hate discrimination and sin
People judgin other people by the color of skin
I'll attack this matter, in my own way
Man, I ain't no slave, I ain't bailin no hay
Written a deposition, in any condition
Don't get in my way cause I'm full of ambition
I'm proud to be black (and I ain't takin no crap)
I'm fresh out the pack (and I'm proud to be black)
SO TAKE THAT!!
Run-DMC (Proud to be Black)
I see you!
Look at you!
You look real smooth today!
Is it the way that the blue pinstriped suit drapes over your frame?
Is it the way that your baggy jeans fall on your Timberland boots?
Is it the way that your fitted Yankees cap is tilted slightly towards the east?
Is it that swagger or "pimp" in your walk? Is it your strut?
Is it the way that you engage your co-workers in topics like the ozone layer and environmental issues?
Is it the way that you bounce to a beat from J Dilla? Or the latest verse from NaS or Jay Z?
Is it the way that you bi-lingually speak...good English at work...slang on the cell?
Is it the way that you hold it down for your entire family?
Is it the way that you've made it to the point that there are a few people who enjoy what you have to say on a daily basis and look forward to reading what you've written?
Is it the way that you are a friend, homie, confidant?
Is it the way that you know your past and understand the humble beginnings from which you came?
Is it the way that you've succeeded but understood that you have even further to go?
Is it the way that you live hip hop culture?
Is it the way that you've made sports a huge part of your life?
Is it the way that you know that God has put you here for a reason and you must do the job that you've been assigned to do?
Is it the way that you...are you?
Who are you?
You are Kyle.
A black man. A strong and proud black man. A black man who has been blessed with the gift and the experience to raise 3 black boys into black men.
These are some things that I think of when I'm asked "what does it mean to be black to you?"
This week CNN will air the special "Black In America". I will be tuning in as many of you will as well. It's easy for celebrities and athletes to speak about being Black in America. But what about the common folk. People like you. What does it mean to you? When you look in the mirror...do you like what you see? What does it mean to you to be black?
Hollatchaboi
Monday, July 21, 2008
2nd place
See I was -- born in sewage, born to make bomb musicJay Z (This Can't Be Life)
Flow tight like I was born Jewish
Used the streets as a conduit - I kept arms
38 longs inside my mom's Buick
At any given moment Shawn could lose it, be on the news
Iron cuffs - arms through it; or stuffed with embalmin fluid
Shit, I'm goin through it - mom dukes too
Tears streamin down her pretty face, she got her palms to it
My life is gettin too wild
I need to bring some sort kinda calm to it
Bout to lose it; voices screamin "Don't do it!"
It's like '93, '94, bout the year
that Big and Mag dropped; and "Illmatic" rocked
outta every rag drop, and the West had it locked
Everybody doin 'em, I'm still scratchin on the block
like "Damn; I'ma be a failure"
Surrounded by thugs, drugs, and drug - paraphenalia
Cops courts, and their thoughts is to derail us
Three time felons in shorts with jealous thoughts
Tryin figure where your mail is, guesstimate the weight you sellin
So they can send shots straight to your melon; wait!
It gets worse, baby momma water burst
Baby came out stillborn, still I gotta move on
Though my heart still torn, life gone from her womb
Don't worry, if it was meant to be, it'll be -- soon
I have a friend named ShaTonya. I've known her since college. We're good friends. I've known her since our freshman year. She's single with no kids. She's attractive, intelligent, and has her own career.
Nine months ago, she met a guy that she liked instantly. They hit it off. He was intelligent and driven. After a few dates, they were inseparable. She was wined and dined. She spent more time with him than she had with any other man.
After being with him for 5 months, she felt like she was falling in love with him. She had already been experiencing sexual pleasures beyond belief with him. More importantly, she was into him. She prided herself on not letting men get too close to her. She always kept her guard up. Like many women, she's been dogged out before. But to her...he was different.
A month later, he told her that he was married.
BOOM!
She had been seeing him for 6 months and she had no clue that he was married. They spent most of their time at her house. Although she had never been inside his house, she had been there before. She also had his home number. She had some suspicions about it b/c she had never been invited to his place but she preferred to be at her home. Nevertheless, she found herself in love...with a married man.
That was 3 months ago.
She's still seeing him.
As her friend, I don't pass judgment on her. It's not like she said "I'm gonna find me a married man." No. She was deceived. I don't promote nor condone her behavior. She knows that she's wrong. I've told her that. But she didn't need me to tell her that.
Most of us have had thoughts about things that we can't have...we just don't act upon those thoughts. As a married man, I can tell you that I've seen women look for my wedding ring...see it...and STILL approach me!
I don't think that most men would fall for being the "other dude". Maybe that's just me.
Ladies, have you ever been the other woman? Fellas, would you wanna be the dude on the side? I think we all will agree that ShaTonya should move on. How?
Your thoughts?
Hollatchaboi!!!
Friday, July 18, 2008
the blog about nothing
The Blog About Nothing...
Well. I stole that title from Wale. Actually...this is about something that is near and dear to our hearts.
Our blogs
1. What's the name of your blog?
12th Planet. I named it the 12th Planet b/c it is merely a reflection of my world. The number 12 is a great number. It is a divine number and it is also the number that I wore as a college football player.
2. How long have you been blogging?
November 2007
3. Describe your blog.
The 12th Planet is a free flowing blog where the vibe is very interactive. I've been told by my fellow bloggers that it is the "cool out" spot. Much like the house that I grew up in...the 12th Planet is a place where the vibe is relaxed and all opinions are welcomed. I think of the blog as a conversation with my friends. I've learned in a very short time that the inhabitants of the 12th Planet share many things in common with me. I like that.
Aiiight
It's on you.
Blast your blog
Answer those 3 questions and any other thing that you wanna say about your blog.
Hollatchaboi!!!!
Thursday, July 17, 2008
duos
The hypocricy is all I can see
White cop acquitted for murder, Black man..cop a plea
That type of shit makes me stop and think
We're in chronic need of a second look at them law books
And the whole race dichotomy
Too many rappers, athletes, and actors
But not enough niggas at NASA
Who gave you the latest dances, trends in fashion
But when it comes to residuals, they look past us
Woven into the fabric, they can't stand us
Even the white tees, blue jeans, and red bandanas.
NaS (America)
Batman and Robin
Hall and Oates
EPMD
Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis
Peanut butter and jelly (which actually spawned this topic)
What do these folks all have in common??? They are all dynamic duos. They are people (or things) who are synonymous with one another. If you think of one...then you'll think of the other.
Normally, I'd tell you to name just one but SOMEBODY will get on here and name like 15 things so I'm not gonna put a number on it or what dynamic duos you can use. LOL
You know me...I'ma go hip hop
Outkast
EPMD
Mobb Deep
Little Brother
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
the magic number
I don't recall, ever graduatin at all
Sometimes I feel I'm just a disappointment to y'all
Every day, I just lay around then I can't be found
Always asked to give me some livin life like a bum
Times is rough, my auntie got enough problems of her own
Nigga, you supposed to be grown
I agree, I try to be the man I'm 'posed to be
But negativity is all you seem to ever see
I admit, I've done some dumb shit
And I'm probably gon do some mo'
You shouldn't hold that against me though (Why not?)
Why not? My music's all that I got
But some time must be ingested for this to be manifested
Cee-Lo from Goodie Mob (Git Up, Git Out)
The other day I was having a conversation with Mrs12. One of her best friends has a daughter who just turned 13. I can imagine that turning 13 is an exiting time for a young girl. I know it was fun for me. Anyway...she was given a cell phone so that she could always be in touch with her parents. She's a good kid and a great student. She's focused and mild mannered.
Here's the situation...at her parents request, she is not to talk to little boys on her cell phone. Period. When Mrs12 told me this, it made me think. I respect the decision that Mrs12's friend has given to her daughter. She is a very good mother and they have a very close relationship.
I told Mrs12 that it's interesting b/c this was the age when young Kyle used to get on the phone and talk to the ladies for hours. In fact, I'd call my boy Zell and we'd call chicks on a 3 way call and harass the chicks...lol (remember that Zell??) I know that it was a different time back then but if I couldn't talk to girls on the phone then...there was no need for me to talk on the phone.
My question is this...
are you too young at the age of 13 to be talking on the phone with members of the opposite sex?
what is the ideal age for a young lady to wear make up?
what is the ideal age for a boy to have a "supervised visit" at a girl's house.
how old were you when you started doing these things (if you can remember that far back)? haaaa!!
There are no right or wrong answers. Even if you don't have kids, I'm sure that you know what age would be appropriate for these things. And let's just assume that the kids that we're hypothetically speaking of are kids who are ones that don't have their pants falling off their ass or one of these HOT little girls.
Hollatchaboi!
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
off tha dome
This is the year that I come in and just devestaterandom thoughts...
My style is great ask your peoples can I dominate?
My rhymes are harder than last night's erection
Don't play me close, I'll have this mic up in your rear section
My shit is lovely simply meaning that my joint is tight
Amping up the mic making sure production's tight
Sometimes I might catch a severe case of writer's block
But by the end of the day you'll be on my jock
My name's Malik my hobby's putting MC's to the test
And if you front I'll put my foot up in your friggin chest
Freestyle fanatic, and never will it ever stop
You crew is loose, you might just want to call the cops
Pfife Dawg from A Tribe Called Quest (1nce Again)
thanks to all of you who commented on my post from friday. as you can see, i love my family and i'm proud of them
if you KNEW that you were gonna be drug tested and a positive test would cause you to lose your job that pays you $900k a year, would you still smoke weed??? travis henry...u sure are stupid
is weed THAT addictive? i dunno. I've never tried it.
jesse jackson and barack obama will meet later this week in cincinnati at the naacp convention. wonder what barack is gonna say???
1. "Real recognize real...and real you ain't never been."
2. "Hey Jesse have you seen Dee?" Jesse: "Dee who?" Barack: "Deeeezzzzz nutz!!!"
3. "Hi hater."
i don't listen to a lotta r&b but this cd by dwele is sick?
i gave my son kameron some red kool-aid the other day. he didn't drink it. he said that "it tasted like medicine." he said he didn't like it. huh? a black kid that don't like kool-aid??? that's an oxymoron!
i saw one of those "electric cars" on the news the other day that can go from nyc to los angeles on 1 tank of gas. wonder how you'd re-charge that thang?
is it possible to love somebody and be in love with somebody else...at the same time?
when barack becomes the next president, we (as black folk) are gonna have to develop tougher skin about stuff. these azzholes like the ones on foxnews and new yorker magazine will take racial jabs at him. we have to be prepared for it.
rip indymac bank (i used to work there for 3 yrs as a mortgage underwriter). i knew that you'd crash and burn one day but i never thought the feds would take over.
noooo...ole 12kyle didn't partake in shady mortgage practices. however, there were times when i'd turn a loan down and an hour later my manager would have it on my desk telling me that it was ok to approve it. lol. real talk. i left in october of last year. took the severance and didn't look back
can you really catch a cold from being in the rain?
why don't black women like to get their hair wet?
brett favre...will you make up yo mind??
keri hilson...keri hilson...keri hilson
georgia will play for the national championship in college football this year. (sorry dreamy)
ohio state will win the big 10 in football in college football this year (sorry -1-)
north carolina a&t will win 1 game (sorry smarty jones and eb the celeb)...maybe. lmao!!!
missy elliott is underrated to me
kenya moore...kenya moore...kenya moore
my homeboy told me that he saw bin laden the other day. he owns a car wash in the bronx.
will somebody put those fires out in cali???
would you rather live in a place where it's cold for 7 months of the year or in a place where it's extremely hot 7 months of the year?
i hated science when i was in school. I don't know anybody who liked it.
which movie was better love jones or brown sugar? you gahtta pick one
you are one of 500 million sperm that reached and fertilized an egg. don't tell me that you can't beat the odds and overcome adversity...you already have!
the new nas cd drops today. omg!! it's sick. soooo sick.
tell me when it's ok to eat tomatoes again. i don't wanna get sick. actually, i don't eat tomatoes but i've cut back on ketchup just to be on the safe side.
eat breakfast. you'll feel better
thelma evans
if i cheat on my girl with you...then i dump her for you...what are the odds that i'ma cheat on you?
Monday, July 14, 2008
breaking curfew
Curfew. That word has always been foreign to me. I never had a curfew growing up. Never. I know you're thinking...who would need a curfew in Florence, SC? It's not like there was a ton of stuff to do. Nevertheless, my mom never gave me a curfew. She would always say..."you need to come in at a respectable hour." She never said "be home by 1am". She didn't have to. I knew better. Even as a married man, I still don't have a curfew. Mrs12 knows that when I do go out, I'm not gonna be out too long. I've never been a dude who came in when the sun was coming up. I'm a morning person. I don't like to "sleep in".
The only time that I had a curfew was when I played football in college at South Carolina State University. We had a curfew of 11pm. Was that a fair time? Prolly not...but I understood. From August to December, I had to be in the dorm by that time. I didn't like the curfew but I abided by it.
One Friday night before the season started, I put the curfew to the test. I remember it like it was yesterday. It was 11:30 pm and I was STARVIN'. I was chillin in my dorm room with my partner/teammate Quevin. He was starvin', too. He suggested that we should call somebody to bring us some food. I called one of my best friends, Nicole, to see if she had any food that she could bring to me.
Me: Sup Nicole? Do you have any food over there? I'm starvin'
Nicole: I've got a couple of boxes of Famous Amos oatmeal and raisin cookies.
Me: Word? Bring em to me. Now!!!
Nicole: Are you crazy? I just took a shower and I just washed my hair. I'm not coming outside!!! If you want em, come over here.
Me: Man, I can't come over there. It's past my curfew.
Nicole: Well...I guess you're not that hungry.
I had a decision to make. I wasn't gonna go...although oatmeal and raisin cookies are my FAVORITE!!! Quevin convinced me to go! He wanted some cookies. We had a scrimmage game the next day. We knew that we weren't gonna play that much anyway b/c we were young. We knew that we were taking a risk but we had to eat.
So we rolled to Nicole's dorm. We devoured the cookies on the spot and spent 10 mins talking with Nicole and her roommates. As we were getting ready to leave, Q suggested that we stop by the pajama party that was going on. I thought that we'd be ok. We were only gonna stay there for 5 mins.
We went to the party and stayed for 30 mins. As we were leaving, we were spotted and busted by one of the grad assistant coaches. Damn! I couldn't believe it. We told him that we had only come out of the dorm to get something to eat. He told us that he believed us and he wouldn't tell the coach. He lied! The next day, afte the scrimmage, our coach announced "I need to see Kyle and Quevin after we're done". My heart sank. I didn't think that the dude was gonna rat us out. It was 98 degrees out there. The LAST thing that I wanted to do was to have to run extra laps after the scrimmage!!! Not only did we have to run but we had to ROLL THE FIELD (process of laying on the ground and rolling continuously for 100 yards) and we had to BEAR CRAWL (the process of crawling on all fours but you can't use your knees). It was hell. I threw up...several times.
All of that for some damn cookies! LOL
Did you have a curfew? What time was it? Have you ever been caught breaking curfew?
Hollatchaboi!!!
Friday, July 11, 2008
4 tha Fam
WELCOME TO MY WORLD
Here's my 4th of July weekend wrap-up...with pictures
On Thursday, me and the fam headed to my hometown, Florence, SC for a small family reunion. On Friday, we had a HUGE cookout at the crib. The food (sorry no pics) was great! Afterwards, I hung out with Roody and Zell. On Saturday, we got together at Timrod Park to take pictures. Afterwards, we piled into 5 cars and made the hour drive to Myrtle Beach. I had a blast down there. The kids did too. We went to dinner and then we headed back to Florence. Later that night, I linked up with Roody, Zell, and Derrick for drinks and trash talkin'. Then, on Sunday we went to Mrs12's grandmother's house in Andrews, SC. We kicked it there for a day and came back on Monday. It was a great time! I really enjoyed myself.
Now...the pics
Here is the sweetest lady to ever walk this Earth. This is my grandmother. She passed away when I was 6. I have soooo many fond memories of her. Everytime I see this picture of her I'm reminded of her sweet spirit. I know you're smiling down on the family that you created!
Here's a picture of my granddad. He passed away when I was like 2. He was a cool dude. He was a dude who was about his fashion. Peep his gear. Maaad fly. haaaaa
Here's a picture of the house that I grew up in. Not pictured is the basketball court where I honed my skills! LOL
Here's my dad. He's chillin with all of his grandkids. Taylor and Tyler (Damon's kids), Deion, Brandon, Kameron, and my niece MacKenzie (my sister Cara...not pictured)
Brandon...looking to get into something
Kameron and Brandon
Little cousin Jamison (Aja's daughter) takes a ride on her granddad's shoulders. That's my uncle. If he looks familiar to some of you sports fans, that's b/c his face is familiar. He used to play in the NFL. His name is Harry Carson. He played in the NFL for 13 years for the New York Giants. In 2006, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Brandon gets some ice cream
Da fam! Me, momma12, mrs12, Deion, Kameron, and Brandon
Why is Kameron pouting?
Nobody's looking
Me and Mrs12
Me, Damon, and moms
Eric, Angie, my Aunt Louise, and the kids...Arin and the twins, Kaitlyn and Lailah
Eric, Mike, Aja, Damon, Donald, Lucky, and me. We are all cousins but we're really brothers with a sister. We all grew up together. We are only cousins in name.
Momma12, my aunts (Louise and Ruth) and my uncle (not pictured...uncle Ronnie)
My aunts, uncle, Aja, Lucky, and Donald. Lucky and Donald are my "lil cousins". I still call em lil but Lucky is 6-5 and Donald is 6-4. LOL. Lucky is a sophomore at Auburn. Donald just finished grad school at Hampton and is headed for medical school at Virgina Tech this fall. I'm proud of those younginz.
I'm chasing Brandon on the beach
Mrs12 and Brandon play in the sand
Brandon is awake but Deion and Kameron are knocked out! What's wrong with this picture?
Fin
Ball till ya fall this weekend! What are you gonna do?
Hollatchaboi
Thursday, July 10, 2008
puttin in work
from the good folks at WebMd...
You say you don't have time to exercise? You're hardly alone. For many people, lack of time is the single biggest obstacle to fitness. But, experts say, you may be overestimating how much exercise you really need to get at one time. Instead of investing an hour at the gym, what if you could get fitter with 10 minutes here, 10 minutes there through your day?
There's building evidence that short but frequent bouts of exercise can yield plenty of health benefits. Consider the following fitness findings:
* A study published by the American Journal of Sports Medicine in 2006 showed that short walks after dinner were more effective than long exercise sessions in reducing the amount of fat and triglyceride levels in the bloodstream after a hearty meal.
* Research published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health showed that short bouts of exercise helped lower blood pressure as well as shave inches off the hips and waistline.
* In a study published in Preventive Medicine in 2006, researchers found that multiple workout sessions as short as 6 minutes apiece could help sedentary adults reach fitness goals similar to those achieved by working out for 30 minutes at a time.
* In a finding published in the journal Psychopharmacology, doctors found that short bursts of exercise could help reduce the craving for cigarettes and help people quit smoking.
"There is no question that short amounts of exercise can help you get fit, help you stay fit, and help you maintain your health," says personal fitness coach Susie Shina, author of Sixty Second Circuits. "You can stay fit in increments as short as 4 and 5 minutes at a time."
The best part about that is that everyone can find 5 minutes a few times a day, says Shina, owner of a mobile personal training center called Fitness 180.
"Some of these exercises can fit into a 5-minute time period at work, at your desk, waiting on line in the grocery store, even driving in your car," says Shina. "It's not an overwhelming task, and the benefits can be enormous."
Strength and conditioning coach Jim Massaro agrees.
"This is the way I personally work out -- and it's how I train others," says Massaro, founder of the Advanced Personal Training Center in Nyack, N.Y. "It works for beginners and, by increasing the intensity of what you do in those short increments, it can also work for advanced fitness training."
That said, some fitness experts warn that short workouts can have a downside.
"The bad part about short workouts is that they send the message that you can skimp on your health -- that less is more, that you don't have to invest in yourself to be healthy -- and that's the wrong message," says Mike Ryan, a personal trainer and member of the Gold's Gym Fitness Board.
While Ryan says brief bouts of exercise are a good way to get into the fitness mindset, he believes the eventual goal should be to do longer workouts. "Whatever you think you can accomplish with short workouts, you can accomplish that much more with longer workouts," he says.
Exercise: How Much Is the Bare Minimum?
While incorporating more exercise into our lives is a worthwhile goal, for many of us, just getting up off the couch is a big step toward better health.
So how much exercise do you really need? Most of the studies show that 5 minutes of continuous movement repeated during the day is about the bare minimum to have any effect, and fitness experts believe 10 minutes is more realistic.
"If 3 minutes is all you can do, if 2 minutes is all you can do, it's all better than nothing -- but you should be working up to a goal of at least 5 continuous minutes, and 10 is even better," says Shina.
It's important to make the most of those few minutes, she says. "You should come away from your 2 minutes or your 5 minutes or your 10 minutes of exercise feeling as if you have accomplished something," she says. "There is a certain amount of pushing your body that has to take place, even if it's just for 5 minutes."
And how often do you need to do these 5- to 10-minute bursts of activity?
According to the American College of Cardiology and the American College of Sports Medicine, good health really comes with 30 minutes of activity, at least 3-5 times a week. If you do the math, that means you'll need to fit in six daily sessions of 5 minutes apiece, or three daily bouts of 10 minutes apiece.
"It takes about 5-7 minutes to begin to feel the endorphin rush that comes from exercise, so most people find the 10-minute workout three times a day may actually be more pleasurable than the 5 minutes six times a day," says Shina.
What Types of Exercise Work Best?
Experts say that while almost any fitness activity you enjoy doing is good, if you want to get the most from your 10 minutes of training, choose activities that move several large muscle groups at once.
"Using exercises that engage more than one body part at a time will guarantee getting the biggest bang for the exercise buck," says Shina.
Her clients' favorites include simple movements, such as standing up super-straight, with shoulders rolled back, abdominals tight, and chin up. "The trick is to set a timer for 5 minutes and hold that posture," says Shina.
Shina says your quickie fitness routines can include functional movements such as repeatedly standing up and sitting down in a chair, bending down and picking objects up off the floor, or putting something on a high shelf, taking it down, and putting it back up again, until your five minutes are up. (Think cleaning your closet every day for 5 minutes!)
"You can actually do 60 seconds on each of these movements, and then repeat them -- I call it '60-second circuits' -- and it works great because you're only doing it for a minute, and everybody can do something for just a minute," says Shina.
f you don't mix up your exercises during a single session, vary them from session to session, Massaro suggests.
"Once your body gets used to doing something, you don't get as many benefits from doing it. So either you have to increase the time or intensity or keep changing up the movements to keep your body guessing," he says.
Among Massaro's favorite quickie exercises are basic jumping jacks and squat thrusts, along with walking -- but with a twist.
"To make it into a challenge, try walking in a zigzag pattern, or even walking backwards. It looks a little weird but it definitely challenges your muscles more," he says.
If you are going to do a short workout, Ryan says, make it as intense as you can to get some cardio benefits.
"You need to put some kind of intensity behind whatever activity you're doing if you really want to continue to gain benefits from these short bursts of activity," he says.
So, if you're walking, speed it up. If you're bending and reaching, challenge yourself to do more repetitions in the same time frame.
Getting Motivated to Exercise
While it might seem as if doing just a little exercise won't require much motivation, experts say that isn't so. Because the sessions are so short, it's easy to put them off, or even blow them off, without guilt.
"If you miss an hour of working out with a personal trainer or an hour at the gym, there's a certain amount of guilt attached that can motivate you not to skip out. But when you can skip 5 minutes, of exercise on your own, it doesn't seem like such a big deal. ... So unless you stay motivated, it's easy to get sidetracked away from your goals," says Shina.
To stay focused, Massaro says, keep your eye on the prize: how good you'll feel and how much healthier you will be if you stick with your exercise program.
"Don't think about what you have to do, think about what you will get if you do it. Namely, you'll feel better, you'll look better, your health will be better," he says.
If you still need more motivation, pick an exercise buddy and set up a competition, Shina suggests. "First, each of you buys a gift card to a favorite store. Then, each of you must write down all your fitness activities -- when you did them and for how long. And at the end of the week, compare notes. Whoever did the most for the longest gets to have both gift cards."
Ryan says you can also stay motivated by competing with yourself. "Staring out with short bouts of exercise is a good way to establish the fitness mind-set, but you should continually challenge yourself by making your end goal the ability to work out for 30 minutes at a time, three times a week. That can be a very motivating challenge," he says
Aiight! The summer is here! And you have to be damn near nekkid just to stay cool. Are you working out? If so...what are you doing? If not...why?
hollatchaboi!!!
btw...i made some changes to the 12th Planet. you can now subscribe and the Blog Crew has been updated as well.
You say you don't have time to exercise? You're hardly alone. For many people, lack of time is the single biggest obstacle to fitness. But, experts say, you may be overestimating how much exercise you really need to get at one time. Instead of investing an hour at the gym, what if you could get fitter with 10 minutes here, 10 minutes there through your day?
There's building evidence that short but frequent bouts of exercise can yield plenty of health benefits. Consider the following fitness findings:
* A study published by the American Journal of Sports Medicine in 2006 showed that short walks after dinner were more effective than long exercise sessions in reducing the amount of fat and triglyceride levels in the bloodstream after a hearty meal.
* Research published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health showed that short bouts of exercise helped lower blood pressure as well as shave inches off the hips and waistline.
* In a study published in Preventive Medicine in 2006, researchers found that multiple workout sessions as short as 6 minutes apiece could help sedentary adults reach fitness goals similar to those achieved by working out for 30 minutes at a time.
* In a finding published in the journal Psychopharmacology, doctors found that short bursts of exercise could help reduce the craving for cigarettes and help people quit smoking.
"There is no question that short amounts of exercise can help you get fit, help you stay fit, and help you maintain your health," says personal fitness coach Susie Shina, author of Sixty Second Circuits. "You can stay fit in increments as short as 4 and 5 minutes at a time."
The best part about that is that everyone can find 5 minutes a few times a day, says Shina, owner of a mobile personal training center called Fitness 180.
"Some of these exercises can fit into a 5-minute time period at work, at your desk, waiting on line in the grocery store, even driving in your car," says Shina. "It's not an overwhelming task, and the benefits can be enormous."
Strength and conditioning coach Jim Massaro agrees.
"This is the way I personally work out -- and it's how I train others," says Massaro, founder of the Advanced Personal Training Center in Nyack, N.Y. "It works for beginners and, by increasing the intensity of what you do in those short increments, it can also work for advanced fitness training."
That said, some fitness experts warn that short workouts can have a downside.
"The bad part about short workouts is that they send the message that you can skimp on your health -- that less is more, that you don't have to invest in yourself to be healthy -- and that's the wrong message," says Mike Ryan, a personal trainer and member of the Gold's Gym Fitness Board.
While Ryan says brief bouts of exercise are a good way to get into the fitness mindset, he believes the eventual goal should be to do longer workouts. "Whatever you think you can accomplish with short workouts, you can accomplish that much more with longer workouts," he says.
Exercise: How Much Is the Bare Minimum?
While incorporating more exercise into our lives is a worthwhile goal, for many of us, just getting up off the couch is a big step toward better health.
So how much exercise do you really need? Most of the studies show that 5 minutes of continuous movement repeated during the day is about the bare minimum to have any effect, and fitness experts believe 10 minutes is more realistic.
"If 3 minutes is all you can do, if 2 minutes is all you can do, it's all better than nothing -- but you should be working up to a goal of at least 5 continuous minutes, and 10 is even better," says Shina.
It's important to make the most of those few minutes, she says. "You should come away from your 2 minutes or your 5 minutes or your 10 minutes of exercise feeling as if you have accomplished something," she says. "There is a certain amount of pushing your body that has to take place, even if it's just for 5 minutes."
And how often do you need to do these 5- to 10-minute bursts of activity?
According to the American College of Cardiology and the American College of Sports Medicine, good health really comes with 30 minutes of activity, at least 3-5 times a week. If you do the math, that means you'll need to fit in six daily sessions of 5 minutes apiece, or three daily bouts of 10 minutes apiece.
"It takes about 5-7 minutes to begin to feel the endorphin rush that comes from exercise, so most people find the 10-minute workout three times a day may actually be more pleasurable than the 5 minutes six times a day," says Shina.
What Types of Exercise Work Best?
Experts say that while almost any fitness activity you enjoy doing is good, if you want to get the most from your 10 minutes of training, choose activities that move several large muscle groups at once.
"Using exercises that engage more than one body part at a time will guarantee getting the biggest bang for the exercise buck," says Shina.
Her clients' favorites include simple movements, such as standing up super-straight, with shoulders rolled back, abdominals tight, and chin up. "The trick is to set a timer for 5 minutes and hold that posture," says Shina.
Shina says your quickie fitness routines can include functional movements such as repeatedly standing up and sitting down in a chair, bending down and picking objects up off the floor, or putting something on a high shelf, taking it down, and putting it back up again, until your five minutes are up. (Think cleaning your closet every day for 5 minutes!)
"You can actually do 60 seconds on each of these movements, and then repeat them -- I call it '60-second circuits' -- and it works great because you're only doing it for a minute, and everybody can do something for just a minute," says Shina.
f you don't mix up your exercises during a single session, vary them from session to session, Massaro suggests.
"Once your body gets used to doing something, you don't get as many benefits from doing it. So either you have to increase the time or intensity or keep changing up the movements to keep your body guessing," he says.
Among Massaro's favorite quickie exercises are basic jumping jacks and squat thrusts, along with walking -- but with a twist.
"To make it into a challenge, try walking in a zigzag pattern, or even walking backwards. It looks a little weird but it definitely challenges your muscles more," he says.
If you are going to do a short workout, Ryan says, make it as intense as you can to get some cardio benefits.
"You need to put some kind of intensity behind whatever activity you're doing if you really want to continue to gain benefits from these short bursts of activity," he says.
So, if you're walking, speed it up. If you're bending and reaching, challenge yourself to do more repetitions in the same time frame.
Getting Motivated to Exercise
While it might seem as if doing just a little exercise won't require much motivation, experts say that isn't so. Because the sessions are so short, it's easy to put them off, or even blow them off, without guilt.
"If you miss an hour of working out with a personal trainer or an hour at the gym, there's a certain amount of guilt attached that can motivate you not to skip out. But when you can skip 5 minutes, of exercise on your own, it doesn't seem like such a big deal. ... So unless you stay motivated, it's easy to get sidetracked away from your goals," says Shina.
To stay focused, Massaro says, keep your eye on the prize: how good you'll feel and how much healthier you will be if you stick with your exercise program.
"Don't think about what you have to do, think about what you will get if you do it. Namely, you'll feel better, you'll look better, your health will be better," he says.
If you still need more motivation, pick an exercise buddy and set up a competition, Shina suggests. "First, each of you buys a gift card to a favorite store. Then, each of you must write down all your fitness activities -- when you did them and for how long. And at the end of the week, compare notes. Whoever did the most for the longest gets to have both gift cards."
Ryan says you can also stay motivated by competing with yourself. "Staring out with short bouts of exercise is a good way to establish the fitness mind-set, but you should continually challenge yourself by making your end goal the ability to work out for 30 minutes at a time, three times a week. That can be a very motivating challenge," he says
Aiight! The summer is here! And you have to be damn near nekkid just to stay cool. Are you working out? If so...what are you doing? If not...why?
hollatchaboi!!!
btw...i made some changes to the 12th Planet. you can now subscribe and the Blog Crew has been updated as well.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
thirsty!
I'm a hip hop head. I listen to a lotta stuff. The more that I listen I become less impressed with what I hear. I would say that I listen to more old skool hip hop than I do anything else. There are a lotta rappers out there...not enough MCs. There's a difference. Every now and then, I'll hear something and say "dayyyyum!!! Did they just say that? Lemme play that again"
I've never been a big fan of female MCs (although I'm a new fan of Keisha the Kitten...keep rhymin'). I don't hate em. I compare em all to MC Lyte. She's my favorite. Lyte didn't have to talk about how big her azz was or how many dudes she slept with. That's easy to rap about. She had skills. Better than MOST dudes.
I was bumpin the new cd from a female MC that most of you have never heard of...Jean Grae. She's very talented. And she can really rhyme! I was listening to her song Love Thirst when she dropped a very sensual verse over a smoothed out beat from 9th Wonder. She could have easily talked about "how she dropped it like it was hot" or "how she's a thug chick and she needs a thug in her life". No...not Jean. Very witty. Classy. Sensual. Imaginative. Peep the 2nd verse from the song...
Okay, turn the lights out - no, turn 'em back on
Want you to see my backbone and my black tone
Start minimal, raise it to animal, please
You're no amateur, please me I'm tangable
Knees be all tangled up, like the handles
placed on the mantle, that romantic angles
We'll slow dance 'til tango and gets horizontal
I know you go longer that flow with no comma (hehe)
I'm high on ya, ya like it don't cha?
Could survive, but it's bitin on ya
Like those, high notes, nibble just a little bit
Everything i'm thinkin, you're already deliverin it
Quiver, pleasure unheard, you ain't even done first, baby
when I done burst, crazy
I'm in love thirst, you are the quencher
Maybe we should be taping so you can remember.. I'm just sayin!
Ever had somebody make you thirsty like that? If you're no longer together, what would it take for them to get you back to that level. (for all of my married folk...i hope your answer is your spouse! lmao) Was the "thirstyness" good for you??
here's how the song sounds if you wanna hear it...
Love Thirst
Jean Grae
hollatchaboi
I've never been a big fan of female MCs (although I'm a new fan of Keisha the Kitten...keep rhymin'). I don't hate em. I compare em all to MC Lyte. She's my favorite. Lyte didn't have to talk about how big her azz was or how many dudes she slept with. That's easy to rap about. She had skills. Better than MOST dudes.
I was bumpin the new cd from a female MC that most of you have never heard of...Jean Grae. She's very talented. And she can really rhyme! I was listening to her song Love Thirst when she dropped a very sensual verse over a smoothed out beat from 9th Wonder. She could have easily talked about "how she dropped it like it was hot" or "how she's a thug chick and she needs a thug in her life". No...not Jean. Very witty. Classy. Sensual. Imaginative. Peep the 2nd verse from the song...
Okay, turn the lights out - no, turn 'em back on
Want you to see my backbone and my black tone
Start minimal, raise it to animal, please
You're no amateur, please me I'm tangable
Knees be all tangled up, like the handles
placed on the mantle, that romantic angles
We'll slow dance 'til tango and gets horizontal
I know you go longer that flow with no comma (hehe)
I'm high on ya, ya like it don't cha?
Could survive, but it's bitin on ya
Like those, high notes, nibble just a little bit
Everything i'm thinkin, you're already deliverin it
Quiver, pleasure unheard, you ain't even done first, baby
when I done burst, crazy
I'm in love thirst, you are the quencher
Maybe we should be taping so you can remember.. I'm just sayin!
Ever had somebody make you thirsty like that? If you're no longer together, what would it take for them to get you back to that level. (for all of my married folk...i hope your answer is your spouse! lmao) Was the "thirstyness" good for you??
here's how the song sounds if you wanna hear it...
Love Thirst
Jean Grae
hollatchaboi